I landed at Quito International Airport in the early afternoon, after three flights, a layover in Panama Int’l airport, and very little sleep…. It was busy and noisy, but I was here, and elated, if exhausted.
My luggage was heavy and I was tired. I felt relieved that I’d decided to book a driver rather than figure out navigating the bus system from Quito to Baños de Agua Santa, where I was headed. I perched myself on top of my suitcase and sat down outside the terminal, waiting. Porters came by and held up porter signs, and I shook my head politely.
There’s a certain level of unwanted attention, traveling as a solo female… but I quickly found that the vibe from Ecuadorian men was actually really kind and respectful, and I didn’t feel harassed at all.
The Drive to Baños
When my driver Angel arrived from Mydaytrip.com he was immediately kind and gracious and took my luggage. The drive was fascinating. Through portions of Quito, then past colorful homes, merchants on the street selling trinkets and sugarcane, winding through the city and then the country.
Angel was an amazing guide, both freely and intelligently sharing Ecuador’s history, giving me tips for traveling, and also sensing when I wanted to just stare out the window for much of the 3 hour drive.
I learned that Ecuador exports shrimp, coffee, plantains, roses. That you can buy a bunch of 50 roses for three dollars. That the country’s in the midst of political turbulence (which I was aware of), and electing a new president on October 15th, which would be while I was there. I heard about how the pandemic shutdowns had deeply affected the local businesses, and many were still trying to regain their footing.
Mydaytrip.com invites you to book destinations along the way, and I’d booked a stop at Pailon del Diablo waterfall. I walked down the treacherous feeling steps and across a walkway to the views, and took in the gorgeousness.
Baños de Agua Santa
And finally we reached Banos de Agua Santa – Baths of the Holy Water.
The first time I’d read about this little town, with it’s thermal mineral hot springs, outdoor sports, and hiking, I knew it was for me. I’d booked a month in an airbnb here, as my first stop.
It’s a true mountain town, watched over by an active volcano that heats the waters for the famous baths (which are also believed to contain healing properties).
My sweet little airbnb was perched just outside the outskirts of town, and everything was walking distance away — but what a walk!!
The streets were hilly and extremely steep. Walkways were narrow. Drivers careened around corners. Lots of scooters… few helmets.
Between the hills and the altitude (which is even a bit higher than Albuquerque, which I was used to), I would find myself getting a good workout with every trip into town.
The Unfamiliar
My first few days felt strange… it was like some kind of loneliness or homesickness, but it wasn’t really homesickness for a place… more like processing massive amounts of energy and trying to ground into my body.
And, processing the unfamiliar….
The plumbing in Ecuador is older… and toilet paper can’t be thrown in the toilet. It took me a minute to get used to throwing it in the wastebasket.
Very little English was spoken in my little mountain town…. I needed to get on improving my Spanish, fast.
I quickly learned that much info I found online was not reliable. Apple Maps was frequently off. (“umm, no… there’s definitely no supermarket right here!”)
(Fortunately, Google Maps seemed to be much better).
But I felt adrift. I still needed to book my next flight to Colombia, in a month… maybe getting that task done would make me feel a bit more at ease?
Unfortunately, in my haste, I too quickly trusted the information on a website about how to get from Banos to Quito… information that was flat out wrong. (The article said that the Cuenca airport was 15-20 minute drive away from Baños. Actually, it’s a six hour drive).
At 91 dollars, it was an expensive lesson to learn… but I rebooked my flight.
I also re-booked Angel for the drive back up to Quito, knowing how welcome his guidance and presence would be.
Finding My Way Around
Making my way around was a challenge, as street signs seemed to be rare. My airbnb actually didn’t have a street address (as was the case for many places).
If I needed to call a taxi, my airbnb host told me, “just tell them to come to the ‘Ines Maria neighborhood”.
(..But, would they even understand me if I called?)
I felt a little silly to acknowledge my unconscious expectations that English would be more prevalent than it was…. and between the language barrier and the lack of reliable info online, I felt just a bit lost.
I had a bit of cash on hand, but knew I’d need more shortly….. and in reading reviews of local ATM’s, I found multiple stories of ATM’s not dispensing money, but still withdrawing the amount from the owner’s account – and then, the account owners spending weeks and months trying to reach a person who could help them recover the money…. Yikes. Noted. Don’t go to an ATM at night, when the bank is closed.
The feeling of unfamiliarity and uncertainty was stronger than I’d expected. Not knowing what would happen, or how to navigate. It was interesting to see how unsettling it could all be.
Energy Overload
On top of that, since landing in Ecuador, my body was buzzing with a strange overload of energy.
My gut sense is that it was a combo of being so close to the Equator, and being right on my Jupiter Astrocartography line (though I’ll be able to say more about that the Astrocarto lines when I’ve been able to compare how it feels on multiple different lines…)
But, it was a different kind of energy than I’d ever felt. I was waking up with the sunrise (super unusual for me) and instantly wide awake – loaded with energy that didn’t come from Ecuadorian coffee.
Between the feeling of so much unfamiliarity, so much energy my body was processing — it all added up to a bit of an overload.
And, as open minded and adventurous as I like to think that I am…. the truth is I felt a bit lost.
And alone.
And longing for, or missing something… but not sure where or what.
And I wanted a bathtub.
(My airbnb had just a shower, and I missed having a bathtub to soak in for hours).
Resourcing
But then, there were the mountains right outside my window…. my apartment was at the end of a cul de sac, backed up to the mountains, and on the third/ top floor…. which meant I could leave my curtains open at night and wake up to views of those incredible mountains shrouded in clouds.
And there was the fresh air, and the mind-blowing sunsets of pinks and purples and that brilliant, otherworldly gold.
I found my way to a local fresh produce market…. I wandered in to check it out, and left with two large bags full of as much fresh fruit and vegetables as I could possibly carry, plus the change from a ten dollar bill. Those Ecuadorian women understand selling as service.
And the people had an incredible sweetness– even if I felt a bit of a world apart, from not being able to communicate well enough, yet.
I leaned on all the nervous system healing work I’ve done over the past eight years, and how I’ve learned to regulate my body and emotions. I leaned into my spiritual practices, more than ever. I worked in the Akashic Records. Tracking my astrology chart daily, I knew I was moving through a Jupiter/ Jupiter square, signifying that all the energy would likely be feeling magnified and over the top.
And I knew it was all amazing and incredible… even if my body felt more overloaded than anything else.
And so I moved through the first few days… finding a Supermercado and getting groceries… landing on an ATM with an angel security guard, who spoke enough words of English to help me select the right button for “checking account”…. navigating my way around the hilly streets of Banos…. discovering an incredible Indian restaurant, that I’d return to multiple times throughout my stay… and I allowed myself to settle in.
Taxis & Perspective
On my fourth day there — with food in the fridge, cash in my wallet, and a bit rested up – I decided to go out and hike.
I walked a short way across town to the steps of the Virgen de Ventanas Viewpoint. This hike took the hills of Banos to a whole new level – it was an actual steep staircase going up. And up. And up.
But the views from the top were incredible. I rested for awhile before making the trek back down the stairs.
My legs were shaking, hard, when I got to the bottom. I decided it was time to hail my first taxi.
“Buenos Dias… Ines Maria, por favor”
The driver took me to the correct neighborhood. I felt simultaneously exhausted and incredibly accomplished as the taxi pulled up to my door. Maybe I could handle all this, after all.
It was only mid-morning, and I had the rest of the day… why not check out the thermal baths that Banos was famous for?
Checking my map (and hoping it was right), I realized that one of the most popular Baths was up the street from me.
The Baths
Reviews of this place said that you could change into your swimsuit, and then put your stuff in storage, for free.. but what exactly did that mean? Storage, where?
I felt nervous about leaving my phone anywhere I couldn’t see it… after all, what exactly would I do if my phone was lost or stolen, and I was stranded somewhere, with no way to communicate?
So I triple checked my route, left my phone at home, and loaded my backpack with my water bottle and a few dollars for the entrance fee, and began the second steep trek of the day (thankfully, not as extreme as the morning’s hike).
The baths were perfect.
I soaked in one of the warm tubs, then the cold pool, then back to the heated tub again.
New Friends
A woman began chatting to me, and I had to politely explain in my limited Spanish that I didn’t understand. She slowed down enough that we could talk, a bit. (As rusty as I was, I could follow if she slowed way down).
Her energy was sweet, genuinely warm, just like all the people I’d been encountering.
A group of her friends or extended family began to trickle over (were they all related?? I couldn’t quite tell)…. but they wanted to know all about me.
… where did I come from? how long was I there? where was I staying? did I have a boyfriend, a husband, kids?
On learning I was single, they all began pointing out the one single guy in their group, who was over in the other pool. “Jose, Jose, Jose!!!” they all exclaimed excitedly, pointing him out to me.
We chatted for hours, soaking in the healing mineral waters…. and while they seemed to find many of my attempts at Spanish absolutely hilarious, their laughter was sweet and kind, and I frequently found myself laughing hysterically with them.
Magical Shifts
A young girl – maybe 8? – was the only one who spoke more than a few words of English. She seemed to delight in asking me questions in English… slowly, deliberately, carefully emphasizing each word.
“What. Is. Your. Last. Name.”
“Hardy”
“Rachel. Hardy”— ?
“Si”
Now, the air was filled with the chorus of their voices as they all repeated “Rachel Hardy, Rachel Hardy, Rachel Hardy!!”
We laughed and laughed some more, and I had no idea what was so funny, but their joyful energy was incredibly infectious.
There was a carefreeness, a feeling of community, a lightness and an ease.
Time seemed to stand still in this secluded spot, and I leaned back against the edge of the tub. I caught a view of the mountains above, towering, protectively, in every direction.
And I couldn’t say for sure if it was my new friends, or the protective mountains, or the magical healing waters of Baños, or some mystical combo of all of it — but something had shifted and I felt myself deeply, truly settle.
And I still had a lot of Spanish to learn…. but for the next month, Banos de Agua Santa was home.
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